Mao Sugiyama Cooks His Own Genitals, Asks Diners for ¥100,000
Warning: Some might find the images, photos, pictures disturbing: Japanese Artist, Mao Sugiyama serves his own genitals. Who is Mao Sugiyama?
Tokyo - Mao Sugiyama,
22-year-old "asexual" Japanese artist, had his genitals surgically removed
at a hospital. He then took his frozen penis and scrotum home, seasoned and
cooked them for five dinner guests. He cooked his genitals himself, supervised
by a chef.
According to CalorieLab.com, Sugiyama organized a banquet
dubbed “Ham Cybele – Century Banquet,” at the “Asagaya Loft A” event space in
the Suginami Ward of Tokyo. CalorieLab.com explains that "'Century' in
Japanese is a homophone for the Japanese word for 'genitals' and 'Ham Cybele'
refers to the Anatolian mother goddess, prefixed with an appropriate word for
tough meat to create a phrase whose initials match Sugiyama’s artist name of
HC."
According to CalorieLab.com,
Sugiyama publicly seasoned and braised his own genitals on a portable gas
cartridge burner. Daily Mail reports that the genitalia were
garnished with mushrooms and parsley. He charged the five diners $250 per
person.
According to Daily Mail, before the favored guests tucked into
dinner, they were entertained to a piano recital and took part in a panel
discussion.
CalorieLab.com reports that the young man had initially considered eating
his genitals himself but decided to invite guests instead. According to The Huffington Post, he first tweeted his
intention to offer his genitals for dinner on April 8. A few days before his
22nd birthday, he underwent elective genital-removal surgery.
Daily Mail reports that his tweeted invitation to
dinner excited a flurry of interest online. He tweeted: "I am offering my
male genitals (full penis, testes, scrotum) as a meal for 100,000 yen (£800).
I’m Japanese." He continued: "The organs were surgically removed at
age 22. I was tested to be free of venereal diseases. The organs were of normal
function. I was not receiving female hormone treatment. First interested buyer
will get them, or I will also consider selling to a group. Will prepare and
cook as the buyer requests, at his chosen location. If you have questions,
please contact me by DM or e-mail."
Sugiyama initially split the offer
between six guests. According to The Hufffington Post, he finally divided it up
into penis shaft, testicles and scrotal skin between five diners. On April 13,
only five of six diners signed up for the $250-per-plate feast. The sixth
person failed to show up.
About 70 people attended the dinner
in the Suginami ward of Tokyo. While five people dined on Sugiyama's genitals,
others ate beef and crocodile meat.
CalorieLab.com reports that the five genital
eaters were a 32-year-old male artist, who said he was doing it or
"research," a 30-year-old white-collar couple, who said they were
simply "curios," an attractive 22-year-old woman, who said she
wondered how it would feel, and a 29-year-old event planner Shigenobu
Matsuzawa, who tweeted before the event, “It’s a once in a lifetime chance, so
I decided on the spur of the moment to do it.”
Sugiyama posted photos of the event
to his blog but later removed them citing "privacy considerations."
According to Daily Mail, he made his guests sign a waiver that he was
not responsible if they became ill from eating his penis and scrotum. Guests
said the genitalia had a rubbery texture and a bland taste, CalorieLab.com
reports.
The Huffington Post reports that when CalorieLab.com
called the police, they said they could not launch any investigation into the
incident because no laws were contravened. According to CalorieLab.com,
there is no law against cannibalism in Japan.
Daily Mail reports Sugiyam also had his nipples removed.
According to MSN, Sugiyam said he hosted the dinner to
"raise awareness about sexual minorities, x-gender [and asexual]
people."
Daily Mail reports that Sugiyam as a "asexual" said he would
not have his male genitalia replaced with female ones.
